THE WATER WORLD, OCTOBER 2020
Kenya’s Champion For Water & Environmental Issues
Bamboo now a cash crop If next year all of us can turn up in large numbers to plant the crop in one single day, the target of 10 per cent forest cover will be attained. - PS Kiptoo.
By Sammy Munoko
B
amboo has now been declared a cash crop in Kenya and the rush is on for farmers seeking to reap its huge profits. From West Pokot in the North to Homa Bay in Nyanza, Kajiado in the South to Kilifi at the Coast, bamboo farming is fast becoming the new norm. President Uhuru Kenyatta recently assented to the Bill which made the tree, previously classified as grass, into a cash crop. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry Keriako Tobiko has also said controversy and debate on whether bamboo is a grass or a tree has now ended. He clarified that following the approval by the President in September, now bamboo has been classified as the 16th cash crop in Kenya. Many countries like the USA, China, South Africa, Australia and India, Indonesia, Pakistan and other Asian countries have a very advanced bamboo farming industry. In India for example, yields remain steady all the year round with prices around Sh4,500 per tonne and farmers there say the crop is more profitable than rice and sugarcane. Whereas Bamboo farming has been going on many for decades, Kenya appears to have been in a deep slumber despite its enormous resources of bamboo. It is only last year when the Cabinet approved the National Bamboo Policy after it dawned on policy makers that most of the furniture imported into the country was made from bamboo. Tobiko has now asked the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) to supply bamboo seedlings in large quantities. Bamboo nurseries are to be established in various regions in Kenya to ease access by individuals and organisations. “Kenya Forest Service and KEFRI should assist in registration and vetting of bamboo nurseries in order to have records of the nursery investors,” said Tobiko. He further called on private investors to partner with farmers through training and planting of the
Environment and Forestry CS Keriako Tobiko (centre) flanked by Bamboo Association chairman Victor Mwanga (right, with watering can) and Julius Malombe, Water Towers Agency Chairman planting a tree to mark the World Bamboo Day on September 18th, 2020 at Michuki Park in Nairobi. Photo/Sammy Munoko crop. “We must venture into massive small scale bamboo planting,” he added. The policy paper developed last year that was approved by the Cabinet said Bamboo has proven its potential to contribute to achieving Kenya ‘Vision 2030 and the Big Four agenda. Specifically, bamboo can directly contribute to “economic and social pillars” and flagship programmes with focus on, small and medium scale enterprise development to promote manufacturing, the document said. It pointed out that the crop is good for rehabilitation of degraded land and landscapes, ensuring equity, eradicating poverty and supporting provision of affordable ecologically friendly housing. Bamboo is a versatile resource which has a potential to contribute to creation of jobs, poverty eradication, economic development and environment management. Bamboo has been an integral part of indigenous forests in Kenya and the Oldeania alpina, commonly known as highland bamboo, is the only indigenous species that grows naturally between the altitudes of 2,200m and 3,400m above sea level.
There are over 10, 000 documentedBamboo products cutting across subsistence use products, timber substitutes, fibre and textile, plastic composites, food and beverage, energy, health and cosmetic industry products.
Forests In late 1980s, bamboo forests covered more than 300,000 hectares but that has reduced to about 100,000Ha. Kenya has a total bamboo growing area of 133,273 hectares, concentrated in mountain ranges and forest areas managed by the national government. Aberdare Range, Mau Forest, Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon and Cherangany Hills have 50,038 ha, 30,196 ha, 35,966 ha 14,341 and 8,180 hectares respectively.
Counties Bamboo growing has since the 1980s caught up in many counties such as Migori, Vihiga, Busia, Homa Bay, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kirinyaga, Kitui, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Embu and Tharaka Nithi. In these counties, bamboo is grown as a crop on the farms though not on a large scale. In Migori and Homa Bay, initiatives are being undertaken to promote growing of bamboo and value-addition as an alternative crop and livelihood strategy for tobacco smallholder farmers. A fully-fledged nursery for producing Bamboo seedlings has been established in Rongo Sub-County in Migori County and the same is happening in other parts of the country. By the year 2000, an estimated 25 million bamboo poles were harvested annually mainly from gazetted forests. They were used for fencing, scaffolding, and construction of houses especially in rural areas. Bamboo splits are used for producing tea picking baskets, farm and household baskets, while communities living around Mount Elgon eat bamboo shoots as a delicacy. Bamboo poles, furniture, handicrafts and seedlings are the current top products from bamboo in the lo-
cal market. Kenya is a negligible player in bamboo trade whose imports and exports account for 0.06% and 0.02% respectively of the global trade. Between 2009 and 2013, Kenya imported bamboo and rattan products worth USD 0.8 million (Sh86.8 million) and exported products valued at USD 0.27 million (Sh29.3 million). The major products imported were bamboo flooring tiles, plywood and furniture. Despite this low rate of trade in bamboo, there is a great potential for improving export trade and at the same time reducing import of bamboo products. That will also enable the country to improve on balance of trade with other countries which are currently exporting bamboo products into Kenya. The Bamboo Association chairman Victor Mwanga petitioned Parliament to classify bamboo as a cash crop and finally got full backing from the President who assented the Bill. Speaking at Michuki Park in Nairobi while marking the World Bamboo Day under the theme “Sustaining Kenya the bamboo way, Tobiko said logistical issues must be addressed by stakeholders. That is to ensure bamboo seedlings are cheaper and available all over Kenya because the crop can survive in all regions. “The bamboo policy will address the entire value chain of bamboo commercialization in the country,” he said. Bamboo takes a minimum of three years to mature after being planted then shoots begin to emerge. Many Kenyans are known to plant bamboos for ornamental value, home beauty and construction projects. Environment Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo is optimistic that Kenya can be a net supplier of toothpicks if bamboo farming is scaled up.
NEWS 3
Costs, benefits of bamboo farming By Staff Reporter Bamboo farming is popular in China and the US where it is grown for medicinal, ornamental purposes and feeding of panda. In Kenya, bamboo farming is peaking with potential demand coming from construction companies, landscapers and even beer manufacturers If you were to plant bamboo on a one-acre piece of land, you would need an estimate of Sh135,000. A total of 200 bamboo seedlings at Sh200, which totals to Sh40,000, Sh25,000 for tilling land and labour, Sh10,000 for fungicides, Sh50,000 for transport and harvesting and Sh10,000 for other expenses. How much can you expect in return? Each bamboo plantlet produces multiple shoots during its lifetime. For example, a young plant may produce three shoots within two months. Next season, those three shoots plus the mother plant may produce three shoots each and so on. Fast-forward four years, the single plant you planted will have produced sixty canes stretching up to thirty feet in height. Should each pole be sold at a throw-away-price of Sh100, each plant will give you Sh6,000. If you multiply Sh6,000 by the number of shoots in your farm, it will be Sh6,000x200 which toals to Sh1,200,000.The only disadvantage with bamboo plants would be that they are only commercially useful from year four to year six after planting. Is there a ready market for bamboo in Kenya ? While the market is available, you may have to do a bit of marketing just to create sustainable demand for your product. The three years that you would have to wait for the crop to mature should be enough for you to create a buzz around your farm so that you are assured of earning from your sweat when the day of harvest arrives. Apart from direct marketing, you can get a little innovative to create and sell bamboo products. Examples of products you can produce and sell to a ready-market include bamboo matchsticks, toothpicks, bamboo charcoal or even bamboo beer. You can also create nice art products with it and start selling to individuals and corporate entities in your area.
Environment PS Dr.Chris Kiptoo.
